Miss Heir wasn't very kind to me.

Chapter 77-8: Aquarium and Seaside Park

Monday.

It is definitely a painful day for both students and people in society.

When Masumi was in Tokyo, she once stayed at a teammate's house in Chiba Prefecture and had to work at a cafe the next day, so she was forced to squeeze through the Tozai Line, the most crowded commuter subway in the metropolitan area.

The train, passing through Kiba and ending at Monzennakacho, felt like an oversized can of sardines, nearly breaking two of Masumi's ribs. The utterly dejected expressions of the office workers were also deeply moving.

Is life hell at all times?
——The loud alarm of the train about to pass at the intersection dispelled the sentimentality in Masumi's mind.

"Hey, Masumi-kun, what are you standing there for?!"

Asami waved at him from the front.

Next to her were Kaitsuki and Rinone.

"Oh."

Masumi responded, but the railings at the level crossing had already been lowered, and the train passed smoothly. Through the glass windows, a crowded crowd of people in suits or uniforms could be seen.

He stopped at the railing and waited for the tram to leave.

"This is my first time going to an aquarium with Masumi."

The humid and hot breath of summer emanated from the lips of Kurokawa Mio, who was looking up at me. Her slightly blossoming smile was filled with a mixture of shyness and joy.

Just like a girl in her first love.

"When I was in Tokyo, I always wanted to go to the aquarium in Shinagawa with Masumi."

She was wearing a sleeveless, pure white, high-cut dress today. She had curled the ends of her hair with a curling iron before leaving, and her face also showed signs of careful makeup. She was wearing single-strap, stiletto-heeled sandals on her feet.

Masumi frowned at the sight, remembering the last time they went hiking in Tajima, when Asami was exhausted and complained about her sore feet. He couldn't help but ask, "Is it okay to go out wearing these shoes?"

Kurokawa Mio did not answer directly, but took a small step forward. The crisp sound of her footsteps made her feel happy. She then lifted one foot, and the curve of the high-heeled shoe outlined the beautiful arch of her foot.

"Does it look good?"

Masumi stared at the feet, noncommittal, then listened to Kurokawa say, "I'm talking about the makeup and the dress."

Only then did he raise his eyes, look at Kurokawa and nod.

"suitable for you."

Very satisfied with his answer, Kurokawa Mio smiled sweetly.

"Thank you. I'm so happy."

Her long honey-gold hair swayed gently in the breeze as she took a step closer to Masumi.

"Masumi really likes girls' feet, right?"

"That's not the case." Masumi turned his face away to avoid the main point.

I like the legs, too.

The scent of shampoo wafted to my nose. Kurokawa hadn't bought any shampoo since he moved in, so he used Masumi's bottle.

"That's it."

Kurokawa Mio said with a smile, "I think it's a very normal hobby to appreciate the beautiful curves of feet."

Examples of Japanese people's love for girls walking barefoot were common before the Edo period. At that time, people called the posture of girls walking barefoot in wooden clogs on the street "Ikinashi". Many Ukiyo-e paintings from the Edo period depicted this charming scene.

And it is not only the island country, but also the ancient neighboring country in the west, where poets have written poems such as "A pair of gold-toothed clogs, two feet white as frost" and "It is difficult to describe the delicate beauty, you have to see it from the palm of your hand".

From this we can see that Masumi has the same elegant hobbies as the Edo painter Keisai Eisen and the great Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai.

"Na."

Kurokawa Mio interrupted Masumi's wandering thoughts.

Her cheeks suddenly flushed, and she said shyly, "If it's Masumi, I can..."

——The shadow of the tram passed in front of them, and the railing rose again.

The figures of the three girls reappeared at the end of the sight.

"What did you say?"

"……nothing."

Kurokawa Mio restrained her smile, a depressed expression written all over her face, and murmured softly: "It would be better if it were just the two of us..."

But if it were just the two of them, I'm afraid Masumi wouldn't go out.

(Come on! This is our first aquarium and amusement park date!)

Kurokawa Mio adjusted her bangs, quietly encouraged herself in her heart, and followed Masumi across the level crossing.

"Amagi Seaside Theme Park" is not far from the stars, so there is no need to take the tram. Taking advantage of the fact that the sun has not yet risen to its hottest position, the five of us set off at a leisurely pace.

The landmark tall Ferris wheel came into view, and at the ticket office at the park's main entrance, a figure waved at the five people.

"Everyone, I'm here!"

On a weekday Monday morning, the park was sparsely populated, but Chiai Asahina stood out amidst the sparse crowds. She wore a sky-colored coat and knee-length skirt, creating a visually cool, summery vibe.

"Thank you all for inviting me out to play."

After meeting up with Masumi and the others, Qian Ai said with a sweet smile.

Unlike Rin, Haiyue, and Mami, it was obvious at a glance how carefully she had dressed up. Her slightly curly light-colored hair was loosely tied behind her head, and her lips were painted with bright lip gloss, making her look more beautiful than usual.

Her eyelashes, which were extended with mascara, fluttered up and down, and she took a quick glance and noticed Kurokawa Mio, who was also dressed up and standing next to Masumi.

"Who is this……"

The other girls either had blank expressions or strange looks on their faces, and I didn’t know how to introduce them.

Masumi took the initiative to speak: "Her name is Kurokawa Mio. She was my keyboardist teammate when I formed a band in Tokyo..." After a pause, he continued: "...and also my ex-girlfriend."

"I see."

Chiai nodded with her usual energetic manner, but then, realizing the message in Masumi's calm tone, her smile suddenly froze and she blurted out.

"Ex-ex-girlfriend!?"

Tongue tied.

"Wha, when? Why haven't I ever heard Masumi-san mention it on LINE!?"

"Didn't you also not tell me about Kamiyo and the others?"

"That's because I was afraid you'd be unhappy, so I didn't mention the coffee shop in front of Macheng!" Qian Ai explained: "And I told you, let's have a few girls move in with Fanxing."

"is it?"

Masumi thought about it carefully and it seemed that this was indeed the case, but he thought it was just an ordinary tenant like usual.

"And, since she's my ex, why are you still together?"

"Of course it's to rekindle our old relationship!" Kurokawa Mio answered before Masumi could speak.

"Rekindle our past relationship?!"

"That's right, isn't that normal?" Kurokawa Mio smiled. "Two people separated due to some misunderstanding, but after the misunderstanding was resolved, they reconciled. No, they are even more inseparable and sweeter than before."

"Like glue and paint..."

Qian Ai murmured these words, her emerald eyes dimmed in an instant, and she stared at Kurokawa Mio with the same look as a dead fish.

"You are Miss Asahina Chiai, right?" Kurokawa Mio took the initiative to greet her: "Although Masumi has never mentioned me to you, I often hear Masumi mention you."

After saying something a bit confusing, she laughed softly.

"When I was little, I lived next door to him. She was three years younger than him. She was a cheerful and lively kid, like a real sister to me."

"My dear, my biological sister!"

Qian Ai's breath hitched, and she reacted quite strongly to the word.

"That's right, sister Qian Ai."

Kurokawa Mio warmly shook Chiai's hand and said, "Please give me your guidance in the future. When Masumi and I get married, you must be the maid of honor."

"Na?"

She had a bright smile on her face, and kept getting closer, as if she thought Qian Ai would never reject her.

Masumi looked at Chiai, who looked unhappy, and sighed softly. He said to Kurokawa Mio, "Kurokawa, stop joking..."

"Okay, okay, the sun is getting hotter, let's go to the aquarium first." Mami quickly came out to change the subject.

"Ah."

Qianai nodded absentmindedly, and secretly glanced at Kurokawa Mio, who wanted to put her arm around Masumi's arm but was avoided without a trace, revealing a worried expression.

The six people who met up bought tickets at the ticket office.

Adult tickets are 950 yen each, including all rides in the amusement park. Tickets for the aquarium need to be purchased separately, which is 500 yen each.

"This price is so cheap." Masumi was slightly surprised.

The last time he came here in high school, he didn't remember the exact price, but it was definitely more expensive than it is now.

"I heard it's to attract tourists, and this is after the price was raised once," said Mami. "Last year, when business was at its most difficult, they even put up the slogan 'All tickets are 30 yen!'"

"This is a complete loss-making operation." Qian Ai finally regained some of her usual energy in the midst of surprise, but occasionally she would glance at Kurokawa Mio with concern, "Is attracting tourists the top priority?"

Although the period for large-scale amusement parks to recover investment costs is quite long.

"That's probably it." Mami wasn't entirely sure. "They seem to care more about the number of tourists than the revenue."

"Although it's puzzling, it's precisely because of this that this park has come up with a plan to recruit members of the Sea House. Isn't this a great opportunity for Fanxing to become famous?"

"Eh? Sea House?" Qianai hadn't heard Mami talk about this before, and thought they were just out for fun today.

Asami then explained it to her.

"...I see. You're participating in the judging competition at the Sea House?"

"Would you like me to help design the new uniforms for the Sea House?"

“There’s no rush until we win the game.”

While chatting, the six people walked into the aquarium.

The view suddenly became dim. Several bright water tanks emitted soft light, which were the few light sources in the room. The tourists around naturally lowered their voices and only whispered in front of the water tanks.

Being here, Masumi could understand why the aquarium is known as one of the three most popular dating destinations for the islanders, along with the zoo and the observatory.

The enclosed space has dim lights and the main blue color makes people feel relaxed. The environment is quiet, but there is a certain amount of traffic, so physical contact is both private and natural, and you can hold hands and hug waists quietly without being noticed.

Just like what Kurokawa Mio is doing now.

"Kurokawa..."

Masumi frowned, but because of his guilt towards her, he naturally softened his tone so that his words would not sound like a blame.

Kurokawa Mio blinked her beautiful eyes and looked very innocent.

"Look, there are so many jellyfish!"

Asami exclaimed softly, loud enough for the people around her to hear.

In the aquarium, soft little umbrellas float in the water. The transparent umbrella caps are lit with patterns like four-leaf clover, swaying with colorful lights.

In this aquarium that looks like a deep sea, they stand out like the moon in the sea.

Visitors in the museum stopped here one after another.

"so beautiful."

Asami sighed, and the other girls also took out their phones to take pictures, and Rinone was no exception.

"This is a moon jellyfish," Masumi said. "It's found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. It prefers temperate oceans with stable currents. It usually appears in low-salinity waters and can be seen near coastal estuaries and harbors."

"Wow! Masumi even knows this, so amazing." Kurokawa Mio praised in a sweet voice.

Qian Ai pouted her lips and glanced at her, then looked at Masumi and asked in surprise, "Brother Masumi, do you know so much about marine life?"

Linyin pointed to the sign next to the sink: "He read the explanation of this place."

Qian Ai was instantly deflated when she heard this: "Uh, so you're learning as you go along."

Masumi smiled.

Suddenly, I caught a faint murmur in my ear.

"...Sea Moon...Jellyfish..."

It's Hanekawa Kaizuki.

The flaxen-haired girl stared at the sink, her blue eyes like a real deep ocean, reflecting the colorful jellyfish.

She stretched out her right hand and gently touched the aquarium, and through the glass, she seemed to be talking to herself:

"...cannot swim, has no self, no heart, can only drift with the water...cannot emit its own light, is a weak, illusory creature..."

"Are you talking about jellyfish?" Masumi asked.

He glanced at the commentary, and it didn't say what she said.

This must be Haiyue's own understanding. After all, in addition to playing mobile games, she also often uses her mobile phone to watch videos of marine life.

"Do not."

Haiyue shook her head slightly: "I'm talking about... myself..."

Her eyes seemed a little moist, perhaps because of the sea-blue light reflected on her face.

Her long eyelashes fluttered gently like petals wet by the sea water.

Masumi blinked and said, "There's other stuff written here."

Haiyue turned her head to look at him.

"...The moon jellyfish possesses powerful self-repair abilities. Even if its tentacles are severed or its body is torn, its tissues will regenerate perfectly and heal automatically..."

After reading the explanation word for word, Masumi chuckled and sighed, "It's like having immortality, a tenacious life."

"That's not the case."

Haiyue shook her head and denied him in a light and weak tone.

"...The life of a moon jellyfish...is very short..."

"In the wild, they'd die in a few months... The jellyfish in the aquarium can live so long because they're cared for by humans..."

A hint of sadness flashed in the girl's eyes.

"So if I'm alone... I'm still very weak..."

Masumi was slightly stunned, and his lips opened and closed several times, as if he wanted to say something but stopped.

"—Masumi-kun, Masumi-kun! Let's go, let's go to the next venue."

Asami called to them from a distance.

Only then did Masumi realize that before he knew it, he and Haiyue were the only ones left in front of the jellyfish tank.

"it is good."

After answering, he took Haiyue and walked towards that direction.

"Which venue do you want to go to first?"

Asami was in high spirits.

"The killer whale aquarium here seems to be very famous."

"Where are the dolphins?" Qian Ai asked, "I want to see the dolphin show."

Lin Yin shook her head. "It was written on the sign before we entered the museum that today's dolphin show is cancelled."

"Eh——" Qian Ai was a little disappointed.

"How about we go see the penguins?" Masumi suggested. "This aquarium hatched a new king penguin last year."

The billboard at the entrance of the aquarium has a large space for introducing this penguin.

"I know, it's the penguin named "tomorin"." said Mami.

After the baby penguin hatched, "Amagi Seaside Theme Park" publicly solicited names for the penguins on SNS, and the name "tomorin" was finally selected with a high vote.

"The penguin pavilion seems quite far from here." Rin said, looking at the aquarium map: "The shortest route from here will pass through the following venue..."

"Shark Pavilion!"

Kurokawa Mio blurted out.

Those obsidian eyes sparkled.

"Ms. Mio likes sharks?"

"Very much."

Kurokawa Mio nodded vigorously, extremely excited.

"You like shark movies, right?"

Masumi sighed. Kurokawa really liked watching shark movies, and he only liked the "well-received" bad ones.

Not only that, he also likes to drag people around him to watch it with him, which makes Masumi suffer a lot.

"As expected, Masumi understands me."

The girl with honey-blonde hair smiled brightly. "That shark movie we watched together last time was really touching, wasn't it?"

"Well, I didn't expect sharks to break through the atmosphere and destroy satellites." Masumi calmly complained: "What a grand, touching, luxurious shark movie."

"Yeah, yeah. I recently downloaded a new shark movie. Let's watch it together."

Kurokawa Mio approached coquettishly.

"...Let's talk about it later." Masumi said casually.

She then chatted endlessly with Masumi about the shark movie. This was a memory that belonged only to the two of them, and the other four girls had no room to interrupt.

Qianai's unhappiness was written all over her face, her cheeks puffed up in dissatisfaction like a pufferfish. Linyin's eyes flickered, but she said nothing.

"……time to go."

It was Hanekawa Kaizuki who interrupted Kurokawa Mio in a leisurely tone, speaking to the two of them with an expressionless face.

"To see sharks... and... penguins..."

Kurokawa Mio turned her head and looked at Haiyue deeply. Her blue eyes met her sharp gaze without blinking.

After a moment, she nodded and said, "...Well, let's go."

The girls then left the Aquarium and headed towards the nearest shark aquarium.

Masumi exhaled softly and followed their steps.

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(End of this chapter)